too?"
she said.

"Why, certainly. The two of you aren't much more than two milk cans, and
I'm sure you're not so big round."

"Oh, but suppose mother should come," said Nettie. "She would be so
worried, and I must be here to keep up the fires."

"Then," said Edna firmly, setting her face against the temptation of the
cheerful supper table at home, the dear mother arms, the greetings of
the boys and all the rest of it. "I will tell you what I can do. I will
write mother a little note and ask her if she can send somebody or find
some way to get us something to eat, and I'll stay till your mother
comes, Nettie."

"Oh, I think you are lovely to do that," answered Nettie.

"Could you wait a minute, Mr. Snyder?" asked Edna. "I won't write
much."

"I'll wait," he said, "and if you will give me a shovel I'll make a path
to your gate. I reckon you're right about staying, sissy. I've got two
little girls of my own and I know I shouldn't like them to be left alone
either one of them."

Edna hurried through her note which said: "Dear mother, I am with Nettie
Black. She lives in the first little house on the side road on the way
to the old mill. We are all alone for her mother hasn't come back.
Please send us something to eat if you can, for we have nothing left but
rice and milk. There may be eggs in the hen-house, but we can't get at
them. I want to come but I'd better not. Your loving Edna."

The little note was safely stowed away in Mr. Snyder's pocket with a
promise of sure delivery, and he went off, his horses plunging through
the deep drifts up to their middles.

"I think you are just as good as you can be," said Nettie. "I don't feel
as if I ought to let you stay, but I do hate the idea of being left all
alone."

"I'd want you to stay with me if I were in your place," returned Edna
remembering the G. R. Club. To be sure Nettie did not belong to her
school, but she was quite as much one of those "others" to whom one
should do as he would be done by.

"It really looks as if something had happened," remarked Edna. "When we
see the path to the gate. I wish he had had time to make one at the
back, too."

It was almost dark and they were about to turn from the window to light
the lamp, when ploughing through the deep snow they saw someone coming
down the road. They watched him eagerly. Except the milkman he was the
first person they had seen that day. "He is coming this way," said Edna
hopefully. "Oh, Nettie, I b